A New Beginning
by Nibiru-Mul
Summary: Faramir gets a visit from his grandmother while he is in the Houses of Healing. He tells her all his thoughts and his plans for a new beginning.


_**DISCLAIMER: **I do not own Faramir and the other canon characters who are mentioned. They are property of Tolkien Enterprises. I do, however, own Malloth, Aerin, and Celebdir._

_I dedicated this to my own maternal grandmother, whom I have a very good relationship with. My grandfather died back in August, so I thought I could comfort her. I thought dedicating this to her would be nice._

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**THE ESTATE OF NIBIRU-MUL PRESENTS**

**A VISIT ONE NIGHT**

It was a cool spring night in Minas Tirith. The flowers were starting to bloom, and the leaves were growing on the trees.

We focus on the Houses of Healing. It was a large building, but the shadows of nighttime made the building look like it was covered in darkness so one could not see the full size of it.

An old woman was approaching the door to the Houses of Healing. She was about ninety-six years old - even older than Ioreth. Her hair was long and grey, and her eyes were of a sea grey color. She was clad in a blue dress. On her head was a grey shawl. This woman's name was Malloth. She was the widow of Adrahil, the former Prince of Dol Amroth, and the mother of the current prince, Imrahil. Through her daughter Finduilas she was the grandmother of Boromir and Faramir.

Malloth was a respected noblewoman of Gondor. Her father Gundor had been an advisor to the Steward Turgon. Her mother Nellas was of the leading noble family of Lossarnach - her distant kin included Forlong the Fat. Malloth had a great interest in literature, which she had instilled upon Faramir. She was a loving grandmother and great-grandmother. However, her relationship with Denethor was at times difficult. Yet her relationship with Faramir was the strongest out of her relatives, for he had reminded her of her departed daughter Finduilas.

Malloth had arrived in the city at sunset, with the intent to visit Faramir. She had not seen Faramir since the previous November, and was afraid that he was dead. She had heard of Boromir's death, and she did not want to lose another grandchild. Imrahil had given her special permission to see Faramir. She had traveled with her granddaughter Aerin, the daughter of her daughter Ivriniel. Currently, Aerin was waiting in an inn in the fifth circle of Minas Tirith.

When Malloth was right at the door, the guards looked at her. They were unsure if they wanted an old woman not from the city visiting. The guards confronted Malloth about it. One of them stepped forward. This guard's name was Celebdir.

"Excuse me," said Celebdir, "but we are restricting visitors. You will have to wait."

"Imrahil had given me permission," said Malloth. "I desire to see Faramir. He is my grandson."

Celebdir pondered this.

"Very well, then," said Malloth. "Come this way, my lady. Faramir is in his room."

Celebdir opened the door and let Malloth into the building. As Malloth was led through the halls, she looked at the candles that illuminated the building. They gave the place an eerie aura. After a while, the two went upstairs.

While they were on the third floor, Celebdir walked up to one of the doors.

"This is Faramir's room," said Celebdir. "You may visit him. Be aware that he may be sleeping."

"I realize that," said Malloth. "I know Faramir very well. He is a heavy sleeper."

Celebdir opened the door. Malloth entered the room.

"I'll leave you two in peace," said Celebdir. He closed the door behind him.

Malloth saw Faramir sitting on his bed. He was clad in a pale green nightshirt and a matching cap on his head. On his feet were yellow slippers. His left arm was in a sling.

"Faramir?" said Malloth.

Faramir turned around and saw his grandmother looking at him.

"Grandmother?" said Faramir.

Malloth approached Faramir as fast as she could and embraced him.

"It's so wonderful that you're alive!" said Malloth. "I was afraid that you were dead!"

"I am so glad to see you!" said Faramir. "It has been many a day since I've seen you!"

"How did it happen?" asked Malloth.

"Mithrandir and Beregond rode in while Father was on his funeral pyre," said Faramir. "Accompanying them was a halfling named Peregrin. Mithrandir lifted me from the pyre when he saw that I was still alive. Then he and the others took me away while Father burned to death. I was taken here afterwards."

"You mean...Denethor is dead?" asked Malloth.

"I'm afraid so," said Faramir. "I guess that means I'm the Steward now. I never thought I'd be the Steward, but I am..."

"How did you manage to stay alive?" asked Malloth.

"Aragorn healed me with _athelas_," said Faramir. "Imrahil was also there - he sat at my bedside and took care of me. I eventually woke up, and I was told about everything that had happened. What brings you here, Grandma?"

"I was told that you were in the Houses of Healing," said Malloth, "so Aerin and I rode off from Dol Amroth. I asked Ivriniel if she wanted to come too, but she was unsure about going. So I went with Aerin instead."

"I'm glad you could make it," said Faramir. "I thought I would never see you again because of this horrid war. I was reluctant to fight since I dislike the idea of war, but I knew I had to defend my country. But I can't fight right now because of my arm. My arm feels stiff and numb."

Faramir showed Malloth his arm. He told her that it was painful if it moved.

"It will get better," said Malloth. "You'll just need some rest."

"It feels bad that Father had to die," said Faramir. "But I feel that he wanted me to die. He didn't care about me."

Faramir sighed as he looked at the painting on the wall across from him. Malloth sat down besides Faramir and put her hands on his shoulders.

"Faramir," said Malloth, "your father _did_ care about you. Denethor just had an odd way of showing it."

"I guess so," said Faramir. "But he always favored Boromir over me - as far back as I can remember he always liked Boromir better."

"Don't be so hard on yourself, dear," said Malloth.

Faramir felt a little better. But now he was feeling hungry.

"I'm feeling hungry," said Faramir.

"Do they provide you with food here?" asked Malloth. "I'll get you something to eat."

"They do," said Faramir. "There's a kitchen on the ground floor. They have foods of all kinds. Just make sure you don't get lost - but the servants will guide you."

Malloth got up from her seat.

"I shall be back soon," she said. She left the room and went downstairs.

Later, Malloth came back with two of the servants, who were holding trays of food. There was fresh, toasted bread, with cheese cubes and grapes. There was also cherry pie for afterwards. There was also milk to drink.

When Faramir and Malloth were served their food, they started eating. Faramir decided to tell Malloth about something.

"There is this woman in the Houses of Healing," said Faramir. "Her name is Éowyn. She was injured in battle slaying the Witch-king. I have had quite a few conversations with her. She seems to be very nice, so I gave her one of Mother's old mantles."

"So you've fallen in love?" said Malloth. "That is most wonderful!"

"I'm in love with her," said Faramir, "and I want to marry her. I think I've finally found someone that I can share my heart with."

"Splendid!" said Malloth. "If you truly love her, you know that you have my blessing."

"I think it would make her happy," said Faramir. "Éowyn told me that she would rather live than die. Now I think I, too, would rather be alive than dead."

"That is most important," said Malloth.

Eventually, the two of them finished their meal. The servants took the empty dishes from them. Faramir decided to tell his grandmother about something that he saw. Faramir sat back on his bed. Malloth sat with him.

"Grandmother," said Faramir, "I have something to tell you. I haven't told many people this, but it would be nice to tell you."

"What is it?" asked Malloth.

"For the past few years," said Faramir. "I have had a dream that one might find unusual." Faramir sighed. "I dreamed of an immense wave in the ocean."

"A wave?" asked Malloth. "What had caused you to envision something like that?"

"And that isn't even half of it," said Faramir. "The dream is recurring. It stayed with me for many months. The terrible wave was destroying Númenor. It was such a sight - covering cities and mountains, enveloping the island in deep water. And the wave crashed down, making everything disappear. The last dream I had before my injury - on the night before Father's death - was a truly dreadful one. I had a vision of Queen Tar-Míriel climbing the holy mountain Meneltarma. And she was swallowed by the wave before she could reach the summit of the mountain - after all of Númenor was below the sea."

Malloth was shocked to hear this.

"I told that to Éowyn," said Faramir. "But the night after the fall of Sauron gave me another dream, which I also told to her. I dreamed of a beautiful garden on a remote island in the sea. The music of birds filled the area. It was a great vision - it made me realize that there is hope."

"You mean..." said Maloth.

"I see hope for the future," said Faramir. "Hope for a new Middle-earth, for peace and serenity. And it feels wonderful that both of us were able to see it."

"I feel the same way," said Malloth.

"And you know what else?" said Faramir. "I think that this is a new beginning. A new beginning for my life. Sure, Denethor and Boromir are gone, but I have you and Éowyn and many other people who care about me. And that gives me the confidence to face anything that crosses the path that I walk on. No longer am I afraid."

Malloth felt very happy hearing this.

"Your mother would have loved to see this," she said. "She would be so proud of you right now, seeing that you are not afraid of the challenges that you will face in life."

"I think she would be proud of me," said Faramir.

"She would," said Malloth.

"Right now," said Faramir, "I would love to see the King return. And Aragorn is the one for the job. I am willing to give up the office of Ruling Steward and instead serve as Aragorn's Steward. It is part of the new beginning: rightful order will be restored."

"And I'll support you till the end of my days," said Malloth. "Believe in yourself, Faramir. You can achieve anything." Malloth embraced Faramir once more.

Faramir and Malloth stayed together for a while. Eventually, it was time for Malloth to leave. She bade farewell to Faramir. Faramir then got under the covers of his bed and went to sleep.

**THE END**

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**AUTHOR'S NOTES ON NAMES:**

Malloth - Means "gold flower" in Sindarin. The first element is the same as the one found in _mallorn_. (The real-world chrysanthemum flower means the same thing.)

Gundor - The name of Malloth's father is taken from Hador Lórindol's son Gundor in _The Silmarillion_. According to a fictional timeline in my research cabinet, Malloth's father died when Faramir was a baby.

Nellas - I don't know what this means in Sindarin, but Nellas was an Elf that Túrin befriended in Doriath. I named Malloth's mother after her. In my same timeline, Malloth's mother died when Faramir was about 20.

Celebdir - Means "silver man" in Sindarin.

Aerin - The name of Malloth's granddaughter is taken from the name of Brodda's wife in _The Children of Húrin_.


End file.
